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Plug-in hybrid cars produce almost 5x more global warming pollution than lab-reported figures show, as per a recent report.

Growing Discrepancy Between Official and Actual Emissions

Statistics shows that PHEVs emit just one-fifth less CO₂ than traditional petrol and diesel cars, according to research conducted by a advocacy group. This contrasts significantly with lab tests, which suggested a three-quarters reduction in pollution.

Researchers studied information from onboard energy use monitors of 800,000 vehicles registered in the EU between 2021 and 2023. They found that real-world CO₂ emissions from PHEVs in 2023 were nearly five times greater than lab figures, up from three and a half times in 2021.

“Real-world emissions are increasing, while official emissions are falling,” stated a lead analyst involved in the report. “That discrepancy is widening and poses a significant problem. As a result, PHEVs emit almost as heavily as petrol vehicles.”

Key Factors Driving the Emissions Gap

Analysts linked the majority of the gap to overestimates of the “electric driving share” – the ratio of miles driven in battery power compared to overall distance. The team found that only 27% of driving was done in electric mode, whereas lab assumptions assumed over four-fifths.

Even, when operating in EV mode, emission amounts were well above official estimates. This happened because EV motors were not strong sufficient to function alone, resulting to engines burning fossil fuels for almost a third of the travel covered in EV mode.

Regulatory and Economic Consequences

According to calculations, the lowballing of PHEV emissions allowed four major carmaker companies to escape more than €5bn in penalties from 2021 and 2023, by artificially simplifying compliance with EU fleet-average CO₂ standards.

Additionally, owners of PHEVs would spend approximately €500 more per year in operating costs than is assumed under laboratory conditions.

“The strong claims that automakers like to make about their PHEV cars are obviously far from the mark,” stated a transport analyst. “Buyers are being misled into believing that by purchasing a PHEV, they are benefiting the planet and saving costs. In reality, PHEVs are only slightly improved than regular petrol and diesel vehicles in terms of energy consumption, CO₂ production, and running expenses.”

Political Discussion and Industry Lobbying

Plug-in hybrid cars have lately been drawn again into political debates as carmakers have pressed the European Union to relax CO₂ targets. A proposed ban on sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 has faced intense pressure from the car industry and opposition from EU countries with large car manufacturing.

Several senior politicians have suggested PHEVs as a potential “compromise” option to introduce in the regulation.

An external energy economics expert, who was unaffiliated with the study, described the analysis a “very useful contribution” after a long period in which parts of the car industry claimed there was too little information to accurately assess real-world CO2 output.

“The results demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the gap between official and actual PHEV fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions is much, much greater than for gasoline or diesel cars,” the expert stated. “All policy changes concerning PHEVs should be made with utmost caution and in the light of this evidence.”